Rail anchor



Patented Nev. s, 1927.

' UNITED STATES i 1,648,084 PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD G. wenn, OF PAnx RIDGE, ILLINOIS, AssIGNOn 'ro THE 1 a II COMPANY, OI'

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, a oOnPonATIoN OF ILLINOIS.'

RAIL ANCHOR.

Application tiled February 24, 1925. Serial No. 11,182.

My invention relates to rail anchoringdevices and has for its object to provide .an limproved one-picce rail anchor device winch is so formed as to provide a firm grl on the rail base, which will be easy of app ication, and which will provide a relatively large surface adapted to bear against one of the vertical faces of a cross t1e.

A more spcciiic object is to provlde a onepiece rail anchor formed at one end with a jaw portion of such configuration as to grip one surface of a rail base adJacent the edge of the rail at one side thereof, and to grip another surface of said base at a point between said edge and the center of the base and formed at the other end with a portion which is flexed outwardly so as to snap over the edge of the rail base at the opposite side Another specific object is toprovide a ra1l anchor made of a spring bar which isfleilred vertically of the rail during its apphcatlon thereto to effect a grip on the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base at one side of the rail' and which is flexed laterally of the rail base to effect a spring grip on opposite edges of the rail.

The invention has for a further ob3ect such other new and improved constructions relating to rail anchoring` devices, as w be hereinafter described and claimed for carrying out the above stated objects and such other incidental Objects as will appear from the description of the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view of the base ange of a. railroad rail showing a referred embodiment of my invention app `ed in its operative position on the rail.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of a rail showing my improved rail anchor in its initial position on the base ange of a rail and before the device is flexed to its normal gri ping position on the rail.

" ig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. y2 showing the rail anchor in its normal operative po- Sition, and

Fig. e is a view, in perspective, of the anchor device.

'Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a railroad rail supported on a cross tie 11, and 12 indicates one embodiment of my im proved anchor device applied to the rail so as to grip the rail base 13- in a position to bear against a vertical face of the cross tie whereby .any tendency that the rail may have to move longitudinally is resisted.

The embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawing consists preferably of a relatively heavy steel bar formed at one end with a hook-shaped jaw portion 14; adapted to grip one flange of the rail base 13 and formed at the other end with an upstanding V ,for engaging the upper surface of the rail base, and al bearing 19 adapted to bear against the bottom surface of the rail at a point intermediate the edge and the longitudinal center of the base. The end portion 18 preferably extends at an angle to the inclined upper surface of the rail base so as to confine its engagement with the upper corner thereof. The bearing portion 19 is formed by bending the bar to a substantially V-shaped configuration so as to provide a ppint of engagement with clearance 20, 20",

tween the rail baseand the anchor, on opposite sides ofthe bearing 19. The other end of the bar s bent downwardly and upwardly to-provide the upstanding arm 15 and at the same time provides a tie abutting portion 21 which will bear against the vertical face of a cross tie at a substantial distance below the bottom surface of the rail base. The arm 15 is formed with a notch 22 adapted to t over the edge of the rail base on the side opposite to that enga ed by the jaw portion 14. The arm15 is p reerably formed so that thedistance between the face 23 of the jaw and the face 24 of the notch 22 is normally less than the width ofthe rail base to which the anchor is intended to be applied, and so that it is necessary, in appl ing the anchor, to Hex the arm 15 outwar y with respect to the edge 25 of the rail base. 1n order to facilitate the flexing of the arm 15, its upper end is preferabl curved outwardly to provide a cam sur ace 26 which, when the anchor is raised, bears against the edge 25 of the rail base, so as to flex the arm outwardly.

1n applying the anchor to a rail, the hook-shaped jaw portion 14 is hooked over the edge23 of the rail base and the other end is swung upwardly until the anchor assumes the position shown in Fig. 2. This swinging movement of the anchor about an axis extending longitudinally of the rail brings the end 18 of the jaw into engagement with the upper corner of the rail base and the bearing portion 19 into engagement with the rail base at a point between the longitudinal edge and the center of the base. Further upward movement of the arm l5, it will be seen, will stress the jaw portion 14 of the anchor so that it will exert a lirin spring grip on the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base, the arm 15 as previously described, bein-g 'positioned so rthat the distance between the face 23 of the jaw 14 and the face 24 of the notch 22 is less than the width of the rail base, will be forced outwardly with respect to the edge 25 of the rail base until the notched portion snaps over this edge of the rail base. ln this position of the anchor the jaw portion 14, being tensioned by the upward swinging movement of the arm 15, exerts vertical pressure on the upper and lower surface f the rail base and the outward flexing of the arm 1'5 produces a spring gripping action transversely of the rail on opposite edges of the rail base.

While 1 have described my invention in connection with one specific embodiment, it will be obvious that modifications in structures might be made without departure from the invention. It will therefore be understood that I contemplate all such modifications in structure as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rail anchor com rising a member formed with a portion a apted to be moved into, gripping engagement with the base flange of a rail at one side of the rail by a swinging movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the rail and formed with an u standing portion provided at its upper en with a recess adapted to engage with the base dan e at the other side of the rail to hold the rst mentioned portion in its grippin position.

2. A -rai anchorcomprising .a member formed at one end with a portion adapted to be moved "into gripping engagement with the base flange of a rail at one side of the rail by a swinging movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the rail and formed at the other end with an upstandin spring arni provided near its upper en with a shoulder for enga ement with one longitudinal corner of the ase flange at the other side of the rail to hold the first mentioned portion in its gripping position.

. 3. A rail anchor comprising a member formed at one end with a portion adapted to be moved into gripping engagement with the base flange of a rail at one side of the rail bya swinging movement about an axis extending longitudinally of the rail and formed at the other end with an upstanding spring arm adapted to bear against a cross tie and adapted to snap into engagement with the base llange at the other side of the rail to hold the lirfft mentioned portion in its gripping position.

.4. A rail anchor comprising a member formed at one end with a portion adapted to be moved into gripping engagement with thel upper and lower surfaces of the base flange of a. rail at one side of the rail by a swinging movement about an axis extending longitudiiially'of Athe rail and formed at the other end with a spring arm which bears against a cross-tie and formed at its end with meansl lor engagement with the base flange of the other side vof the rail to hold the first mentioned portion inits gripping position. 4

5. A rail anchor comprising a member formed at one end with a hook-shaped rtion adapted to grip one face of a rail ase but which confines its said engagement to a point adjacent the longitudinal edge of said base and which engages the opposite face of the base at a point intermediate said first mentioned point of engagement and the longitudinal center of the base and formed at the other end with a portion adapted to be flexed upwardly and outwardly with respect to the edge of the base ilange at the opposite side of the rail and to snap into gripping engagement therewith to hold the first mentioned portion in its gripping position on the rail and'to exert a spring rip transversely of the rail on opposite e ges of the i'ail base.

6. A rail anchor comprisin a bar formed at one end with a jaw portion adapted to engage the upper, lower and vertical surfaces of a i'ail base at one side of a rail and formed at the other end with an upstanding portion adapted to bear against the vertical surface of the base flange at the other side of the rail, said jaw portion and said upstanding portion being so disposed with relation to each other as-to require distortion of the anchor to force said upstanding portion to its normal operative position, whereby said jaw poi-tion is tensioned to effect a spring grip on the upper and lower surfaces of the rail base and the upstanding end portion is tensioned to eilect a spring grip transversely of the rail on opposite edges of the rail base. 7. A rail anchor comprisin a bar formed at one end with a jaw portion adapted to engage the upper, lower and vertical surfaces of a rail' base at one side of the rail, and formed at the other end with an upstandin portion adapted to bear against the vertica surface of the base flan e at the other side of the rail; the distance etween the surfaces of the anchor for engaging the o posite edges of the rail base being normally less than the width of the rail, whereby the said upstanding portion is iexed outwardly during the application of the anchor to its operative positionon the rail.

8. A rail anchor comprising a bar formed at one end with a jaw portion adapted to be moved into grippin enga ement with the top and bottom suriaces o vthe base flange ofv a rail at one side Athereof and formed at the other end with an upstanding portion for bearing against an adjacent cross-tie and adapted to grip the opposite edge of the rail base, the said gripplng portions being so disposed with relation to each other as to require an outward flexing ofthe opstanding portion during the application of the`device to a rail, and the said upstanding portion being-formed with a cam surface which rides over the edge of the rail base during Said fiexing movement.

9. A rail anchor comprising a bar formed at one end with a jaw portion for engaging the upper corner onl of the top surface of the flange, engages t e under surface of the rail base and is adapted to be moved to its gripping position by a swinging movement about an axis extending longitudinall of the rail and formed at the other end wit an upstanding portion adapted to ip the opposite edge of the rail base, t e said rail gripping portions being so disposed with relation to each other as to require an outward iexing of the upstanding portion during the application of the device to a rail'.

10. A rail anchor comprising a bar formed at one end with a jaw portion adapted to en gage the top, bottom and vertical surfaces of a rail base at one sidey of the rail and formed at the other end with an upstanding portion having a recess to receive the other ed' of the rail and adapted to snap into loe ing 'y engagement with the rail base.-

HAROLD G. WARR. 

